When you consider just how many of these parts go towards the weapons alone, I think it’s fair to say that the Desultor itself is going to be a fairly simple build:
But this seems to be the trend for most Jeturk mobile suits, so I’m not surprised (or worried):
Main Weapons
A couple of notes:
- I like the look of the rifle. It’s realistic, but also futuristic, and most importantly, it is properly sized. Not too big, not too small, and not too tall or long or short
- The Bazooka has a foldable handle, and a nice little yellow sticker to give it some pop
- The shield also has a (optional) yellow sticker. I was thinking of maybe putting some number decals on it, but in the end I decided it looked better plain
- We get two extra magazines that mount on the inside of the shield
Additional Weapons
Some more notes:
- The troop transport is surprisingly simple in construction. I appreciate that the hatches open on both sides. I painted the interior, though obviously you don’t have to
- The missiles on both missile launchers are color separated, which is a very pleasant surprise, though I’d advise you to grab a black panel lining marker and fill in the spaces between the mini missiles
Head
This is the only Jeturk mobile suit that uses a clear part for its monoeye instead of a sticker. That might be because it is Premium Bandai, but I think it’s more likely due to the fact that all the other monoeyes are two-toned, and this one is not.
Like most GM models, there’s some surface detail underneath, inside the head, and it looks nice with some metallic paint:
Put it all together, and we get a very Master Chief-looking helm:
Chest
It’s the same basic shape as all of the Jeturk suits, but I like how this one in particular looks like it is wearing a tactical vest.
Backpack
I had some paint that’s roughly the same color as the Desultor’s visor, and I thought it would look good on the thrusters:
Lower Torso
It’s simple, and there is no skirt armor, but I like how it kind of looks like it is wearing a belt.
Meanwhile, the rear skirt looks pretty standard:
Feet
This might be the only Jeturk mobile suit with normal looking, normal sized feet. I’m also happy that it has some nice surface detail on the bottom, which could not be said of the Schwarzette.
Legs
There are two interesting things about the legs. The first is that it’s mainly just an inner frame, with just a little bit of armor strapped onto it.
The second is that, as a result of this design, there aren’t any awful seamlines like the ones found on the Dilanzas.
Arms
I didn’t realize this, but the Desultor has hidden blades in both the arms. That explains why the forearms are so boxy:
I painted each blade differently - one to look like the heated blade see on the show, and one with a basic metallic sheen:
I’m a little worried though - the blades were already difficult to slide in and out before top coating and painting them, and I’m worried that it’s only going to be harder still (which in turn is going to lead to scratching and wear).
Finished
I managed to finish this build in a single weekend, working on it on and off throughout the day. I wasn’t expecting it to be so quick, but I’m also not going to complain.